VISA Services

VISA FAQs

Q: Do I need a visa to go to India?

A:

All foreigners, except for nationals of Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives, need a visa to enter India. With Maldives nationals, a visa is required if he/she intends to stay in India longer than 90 days. Nationals of Nepal would need a visa should they enter India via China.

Q: What do I enter for Surname and Given Name?

A:

Please be careful when you type, the name must be identical to the name as printed on your current passport. Surname is your last name and Given Name is your first and middle name (if any).

Q: Do children require a visa to visit India?

A:

Yes, they do. All travelers including children must have a valid visa to travel to India. Please complete a separate application for each child. For minors, the parents should sign the application.

Q: Can I apply for an India visa on arrival, at the airport?

A:

No, Qatari Nationals holding ordinary passport cannot apply for an India visa at the airport. If you are from one of the countries whose passport-holders are eligible for an e-Visa to India and are travelling for leisure/tourism purposes to India, you need to have an issued e-Visa before taking a plane to India. Then you can get the visa stamp in the passport on arrival.

Q: What is the format for applying for Business Visa or Employment Visa?

A:

FAQ's clarifying details in respect of these types of visas can also be viewed either on the Indian Mission's website or on Ministry of Home Affairs website:

Q: Can foreign students come on Tourist Visa to explore admission in some courses / Institutes and get Student Visa while in India?

A:

No. In order to enable the foreign students to explore various options to study in India, he / she can apply for a provisional Student Visa of 6 months duration from the nearest Indian Mission abroad and once he / she gets the confirmed admission while in India, he/she can apply for a Student Visa to the local FRRO / FRO along with necessary documentary evidence of confirmed admission, financial standing etc.

Q: Can foreign students get a Student Visa directly from Indian Missions abroad?

A:

Yes, they can, provided they have confirmed admission to a course in a reputed / recognized institute in India.

Q: What is the duration of a Student Visa?

A:

Student Visa can be of 5 years or for the duration of the course, whichever is less.

Q: What are the formalities that foreign students should complete on arrival?

A:

Foreign students holding Student Visa of more than 180 days are required to register himself / herself with the local FRRO / FRO within 14 days of arrival.

Q: Is there any restriction on the number of courses a foreign student can pursue?

A:

No. However the overall band of the Student Visa regime cannot exceed more than 5 years.

Q: Can a foreign student change the course or Institute or both while in India?

A:

Yes. But with the permission of the local FRRO / FRO and the Institute(s) concerned and subject to no adverse activity report.

Q: What are the general instructions for foreigners’ registration in India?

Q: Can you please provide the details of the Visa on Arrival Facility available in Qatar for Indians?

A:

Nationals of 81 countries are eligible for visa-free entry into the State of Qatar, with varying allowable lengths of stay. Nationals of the eligible countries do not require any prior visa arrangements and can obtain a visa waiver upon arrival to Qatar.

For Indian Nationals, the waiver will be valid for 30 days from the date of issuance and entitles its holder to spend up to 30 days in Qatar, during either a single trip or on multiple trips. This waiver may be extended for a further 30 days. For further details, you can refer to the following link:- http://mea.gov.in/Images/CPV/visa-exemption/Qatar_new_visa.pdf

Q: What vaccines do I need to travel to India?

A:

While you are not required to get vaccinated before your trip to India, it is highly recommended that you do.

Following are the most common diseases for which you should get vaccinated:

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis B

Typhoid fever

Encephalitis

Yellow fever

Find more information regarding the health regulations by clicking here.

Q: Do I need a Yellow Fever Vaccination Card to enter India?

A:

You are required to have a Yellow Fever Vaccination Card only if you are a citizen of one of the Yellow Fever affected countries listed below: